Currently most planetary battles between spacefaring empires are small in scale and this is due to two contributing factors. Firstly, the vast majority of colonies are small, rarely constituting more than a few cities, and rarely require large forces to take and hold. Secondly, the expense of transporting large armies is quite high, making large scale invasions cost prohibitive.

Most weapons utilized in ship to ship combat can also be utilized for a limited bombardment of specific targets on a planet's surface. So-called tactical bombardments are often used to destroy hardened targets, disrupt communications, and otherwise intimidate the populace into surrender. Tactical bombardments are often made rapidly, even during a ongoing space combat, and as a preliminary to the deployment of rapid strike forces to the planet below.

In the event that an opponent colony cannot be conquered an attacker may resort to strategic bombardment. Typically, this is done by first conquering space and orbit around the target and then taking local debris, such as asteroids or comets, and towing them into a collision trajectory with desired targets. Carrying out such bombardments can take weeks or even months, but can easily result in the complete obliteration of the enemy colony if desired.

Whether during a space battle or proceeding one, once an attacking force has completed their bombardment (whether strategic or tactical) they will typically deploy ground forces to the surface via dropships, pods, or other such transports. Since both the scale of most colonies is small, and, the expense of transporting material and soldiers quite high, the typical ground battle is one between small but advanced defense systems and militias, and the most elite assault forces conceivable. Quality over quantity is today's general mantra.

Most militaries subscribe to dropping their forces during the space battle in the hopes that a quick conquest of the ground below may encourage the enemy fleet to withdraw... this is referred to as a "Hot Drop". Sometimes a colony is so fortified that Hot Dropping would prove suicidal and a post-space battle drop outside the colony must be performed... with forces then moving to lay siege to the colony... this is referred to as a "Cold Drop".

Elite forces versus elite defenses makes for a short, but lethal conflict, and sometimes a colony is deemed too unimportant and is left with little or no defenses, making any such conflict a one sided and again, quick, affair.

The objective of most assaults is to gain access and control over any command centers a colony has, and often this means that the attackers can then hold the populace hostage by threatening to turn off various life support facilities or cut off power. With the populace under nominal control, ground forces will begin appropriate counter insurgency or repressive tactics as needed until a permanent garrison can be established.